TEHRAN – Iran and Russia have signed a strategic cooperation agreement in line with the policy of increasing bilateral cooperation, a top Iranian security official announced on Friday.  

Ali Baqeri, the deputy secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, said that the agreement was signed during his meeting with Yevgeny Lukyanov, the deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council, in Moscow on Friday. 

“This is a document of cooperation between the two countries’ security councils, which had previously been put forward and was finalized today,” Baqeri told reporters after the meeting with his Russian counterpart. 

“The document covers cooperation between Iranian and Russian security councils in security, economic, political, and intelligence spheres. Through signing this agreement, the framework of cooperation between the two neighboring countries’ security councils was established in terms of form and content,” he explained.    

On his meetings with Russian officials during his visit to Moscow, he said that bilateral ties, the latest report of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Iran’s nuclear program, and Russia’s step-by-step proposal were thoroughly discussed. 

It was agreed to continue talks to examine various dimensions of the Russia’s proposal, he said. 

According to the Russian plan, declared on July 13, Iran could address questions about its nuclear program and be rewarded with a gradual easing of sanctions. 

He also said the new IAEA report about Iran’s nuclear program has been prepared with the aim of undermining Russia’s’ efforts to settle Iran’s nuclear issue.  

"In the IAEA report there is no window for the resolution of questions, no flexibility and no goodwill," Reuters quoted Baqeri as telling a news conference.

Baqeri left Tehran for Moscow on Tuesday to hold talks with Russian officials. He met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russia’s Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev.     

It is the fourth round of negotiations between Iranian and Russian officials over the past three months.